Tortorici is an ancient village, immersed in the splendid nature of the Nebrodi Park, which rises in the Valle dell'Ingegno, so called for having given birth to several illustrious characters. According to tradition, Tortorici was founded by a follower of Aeneas . It reached its maximum splendor in the fourteenth century, a period in which the village was enriched with churches and palaces. The terrible flood of 1682 unfortunately wiped out part of its artistic and monumental heritage. Today Tortorici retains its original medieval appearance, with narrow paved streets, portals, fountains, churches and beautiful buildings, and houses works of art of considerable artistic value.
What is the best time to visit Tortorici?
Tortorici can be visited all year round: the welcome and warmth of the Sicilians will amaze you.
But for an unforgettable experience, admiring the colors, tasting the flavors and fully experiencing the traditions, it is advisable to plan a visit on the days of one of the festivals that take place in Tortorici during the year.
If you want to know about upcoming festivals and events Click here and you will find a list of the most important ones.
What to see
Tortorici preserves an evocative historic center that maintains the typical medieval urban structure, consisting of a maze of narrow streets, arches, ancient underpasses, courtyards, steps and characteristic keystones of finely decorated doors. There are many monuments and works arrived from the past: the Church of the Annunciation or Badia, so called because the abbey of the Poor Clares was annexed to it; the palace residence of the Ioppolo Ventimiglia family, baron of S. Andrea (in via Mancari), with a characteristic balcony with wrought iron railing of eighteenth-century forge, supported by corbels in stained stone; the bishop's palace of Gaetano Galbato, whose initials are engraved on the stone key of the door, also used as a prison; the ruins of the Church of the Madonna del Soccorso; the Church of San Francesco or the Convent, national monument; Church of S. Maria Assunta with adjoining bell tower; the Church of S. Biagio with the artistic Norman arch dating back to 1270; the wall of the curve of Santa Emerenziana built in 1927 during fascism and on which the coat of arms was attached; the Church of S. Emerenziana from 1607, spared from the terrible flood of 1682; the Church of the Misericordia with the valuable wooden door made by local workers; the Church of San Nicolò; the Church of the SS. Savior; the Town Hall which houses the Municipal Art Gallery and the Ethnophotographic Museum, Mons. Calogero Franchina-Marietta Letizia; the Godwit Stone; Villa Falcone e Borsellino, municipal park of the village. Of particular interest are also: the Sebastiano Franchina Ethnoanthropological Museum and the Trusso Bell Foundry - Rosario Parasiliti Museum; the Ferrera Mill, built in the early 1600s, which draws water from the Grande River.
The Tortorici area is characterized by one of the most varied and rich natural environments in the entire Nebrodi area: beech forests , hazelnut groves, pastures, mountains, streams and lakes.
Traditional Festivals, Events, Live Show,... Tortorici
The long celebration in honor of the Patron Saint San Sebastiano, which begins on January 1st with the ringing of the bell and the exposure of the Saint to the city, and ends on January 20th, the day on which the devotees who have a vow to dissolve, go "naked" at the Saint, is the most important and traditional festival for the village. The Hazelnut Festival, celebrated in September, which promotes one of the area's excellent resources. Traditions, excellent food and folklore come to life in the Tortorici, food and territory festival, which takes place in the month of November.
Typical food, local wines and drinks, traditional dish to taste in Tortorici
You can obviously taste all the typical products of Sicilian cuisine, the most well-known ones, such as
cannoli,
Sicilian cassata, arancini, etc.
But there are some specialties typical of this area that are more difficult to find in other areas of Sicily.
The typical dish of Tortorici is the Royal Pasta of Tortorici, an ancient traditional dessert made with local hazelnuts, toasted and chopped manually, crunchy and with a unique flavour.
Nearby Places
Below you will find a list of the most beautiful places to visit in the surroundings of Tortorici. The places are located at a maximum distance of about an half hour by car. Good fun!
